Enterprise Systems 20 Points Please Number Responses When Ans ✓ Solved

The executive management team of a medium-sized business wants to be more customer focused in the marketplace. Because you oversee the CRM, you have been assigned to support the newly-created social media marketing plan:

  • What are the best steps to identify customers and the different ways they use to contact your company? Defend your answer.

  • Explain to the executive management team how the steps you recommended will be incorporated in the organization’s ERP.

Cybersecurity and Risk Management:

  • Identify one cyberattack that occurred in the last 2 years. What caused the cyberattack?

  • How did the cyberattack impact data loss, financial loss, cleanup cost, and the loss of reputation?

  • If you were the manager of this company, what are some key steps you would have taken to prevent cyberattacks and enhance cybersecurity?

  • Recommend information that should be in the cloud and describe which information should not be in the cloud. Be sure to include in your recommendation your thoughts on preventing cyberattacks, addressing security concerns, or strengthening network infrastructure.

Cybersecurity:

  • What constraints, if any, should be applied to advertising practices tracking user behavior patterns?

  • If you are the CIO or an executive manager at a small company that depends on this type of advertising to generate revenue, how might this affect your feelings toward the technology?

Paper For Above Instructions

Enterprise Systems and Customer Identification Strategies

To enhance customer focus in a medium-sized business, the first step is to identify customers and analyze the various ways they interact with the company. This can be achieved through several strategic steps, which include:

  1. Data Collection: Gathering data through surveys, feedback forms, and social media interactions can provide insight into customer preferences and behaviors. Modern CRM systems can automate this process by tracking customer interactions across various platforms.

  2. Segmentation Analysis: Dividing customers into distinct segments based on demographics, purchase history, and interaction preferences allows the organization to tailor its communications and marketing strategies effectively.

  3. Tracking Engagement: Using analytics tools to monitor how customers use different channels to contact the company—such as email, social media, or customer service hotlines—will help refine outreach strategies.

  4. Feedback Mechanisms: Implementing mechanisms for regular customer feedback ensures that the organization can adapt to changing preferences and expectations.

These steps can be seamlessly incorporated into the organization’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system by integrating CRM functionalities that allow for real-time data processing and analysis. By centralizing customer data within the ERP, decision-makers can access comprehensive customer profiles and historical data, which aids in anticipating customer needs and crafting personalized marketing strategies.

Cybersecurity and Recent Cyberattacks

One significant cyberattack that occurred within the last two years is the SolarWinds cyberattack, which was discovered in December 2020. This sophisticated attack targeted the software company SolarWinds, resulting in unauthorized access to the systems of multiple U.S. government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. The attack was facilitated through a compromised software update, which allowed hackers to infiltrate and manipulate servers without detection (FireEye, 2020).

The impact of the SolarWinds attack was profound, leading to severe data loss as hackers accessed sensitive information. Financially, the cleanup and recovery efforts cost organizations millions, with estimates ranging in the hundreds of millions overall (Palmer, 2021). Additionally, the incident significantly damaged the reputation of SolarWinds and the cybersecurity posture of affected organizations, leading to increased scrutiny and calls for improvements in cybersecurity measures.

If I were the manager of a company affected by such an attack, I would implement several key steps to enhance cybersecurity, including the adoption of multi-factor authentication, regular software updates, and employee training on identifying phishing attempts. Furthermore, an audit of existing systems to identify vulnerabilities and the establishment of an incident response plan would be essential to reduce future risks.

When considering information management in the cloud, sensitive data such as employee personal information and proprietary business strategies should not be stored in the cloud due to the inherent risks of data breaches. Instead, non-sensitive information, such as marketing material and public-facing content, could be securely managed in cloud environments that utilize strong encryption and access controls. Recommendations for strengthening cybersecurity would involve employing hybrid cloud systems where sensitive data stays on-premises while utilizing the cloud for less critical operations.

Advertising Practices and User Tracking

In the realm of digital advertising, especially when it involves tracking user behavior patterns, constraints should be applied to protect consumer privacy. This includes transparency regarding data collection practices and giving users an option to opt-out. Advertisers must balance business needs with ethical considerations regarding user consent and data security.

As a CIO in a small company that relies heavily on targeted advertising, my feelings towards such technologies would be cautiously optimistic. While this technology can provide valuable insights into customer preferences, there is a growing concern about user privacy and the effectiveness of ad-blockers. Finding innovative ways to engage consumers without infringing on their privacy would be a priority, including fostering trust through clear communication about data usage.

References

  • FireEye. (2020). SolarWinds Cyberattack: An Overview. Retrieved from FireEye Official Website

  • Palmer, D. (2021). SolarWinds Hack's Repair Could Cost Hundreds of Millions. Retrieved from ZDNet

  • Aljazeera. (2020). Cybersecurity: The Implications of the SolarWinds Hack. Retrieved from Aljazeera

  • Mitre. (2020). Cyber Kill Chain. Retrieved from MITRE ATT&CK

  • IBM. (2021). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021. Retrieved from IBM Official Site

  • Pew Research Center. (2021). Privacy and Technology. Retrieved from Pew Research

  • Kaspersky. (2021). Cybersecurity: A Guide for Small Business. Retrieved from Kaspersky Official Site

  • McKinsey & Company. (2021). Embracing Digital Transformation: How Companies Adapt. Retrieved from McKinsey Insights

  • Gartner. (2021). Top Technologies You Need to Know. Retrieved from Gartner Official Site

  • NIST. (2020). Cybersecurity Framework. Retrieved from NIST Official Website